


Mothers and Fathers

by Jestana



Series: Modern MPR [2]
Category: Mary Poppins (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Don’t copy to another site, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-05-13
Packaged: 2020-03-02 12:50:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18811249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jestana/pseuds/Jestana
Summary: Five Mother's Days and one Father's Day.





	Mothers and Fathers

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't set out to do a 5 + 1 fic, but I started with the different Mother's Days and decided to follow the pattern once I realized what I was doing. The character death is strongly hinted at, but happens 'off screen' as it were.

1

Once Michael saw that most everyone had finished their meal, he pushed back his chair and stood up. Most of the others stared at him with curiosity and surprise. Kate was the one exception, her cheeks flushing as she looked up at him. Clearing his throat, Michael told them, "We're all here today to celebrate our mothers." He nodded to both his mother and mother-in-law. Winifred smiled brightly, tilting her head when George kissed her cheek. On her other side, Elinore Woods blushed, but nodded. "There's one more mother for us to celebrate today." He turned to Kate and extended a single dark red rosebud to her. "Let's hear it for the mom-to-be, Kate Banks."

"Oh, Katie, this is wonderful!" Elinore leaned over to hug her daughter tightly once she'd accepted her rose.

Laughing sheepishly, Kate hugged her mother back. "Thanks, Mom."

"Congratulations, Kate and Michael," Jane told them with a giggle. "I can't wait to be an auntie."

Jack kissed her cheek, his smile sweet and tender as he looked at his fiancée. "You'll be a wonderful aunt."

"Congratulations," George told them as Winifred got up so she could hug each of them in turn.

Feeling flushed with pride and nerves, Michael sat down and took Kate's hand once calm had been restored. He worried he wouldn't be a good father, but he had two good examples to follow.

2

"Happy Mother's Day, Grandma," Jane greeted her mother with a giggle.

Winifred laughed as she hugged her daughter. "Thank you, Jane." She hugged Jack when he joined them, and then looked between them with her eyebrows raised. "When are we going to include you two for Mother's and Father's Day?"

"We haven't even been married a year, Aunt Winnie," Jack replied, winking at Jane behind her mother's back.

She didn't quite stifle another giggle as they entered the parlor where the others had gathered. Michael and Kate sat on the couch, each of them holding a baby. Elinore sat nearby, looking every inch the proud grandmother. Kate shifted the baby she held so she could wave. "Hello, Jane, Jack."

"Happy Mother's Day, Kate," Jane replied, hurrying forward to carefully hug Kate, baby and all.

Laughing, Kate let Jane take the baby. "This is John. Michael has Annabel."

"Hello, John." Jane cooed at her nephew, a little disappointed that he was asleep. "It's good to see you again."

When she looked up, Jane noticed that Jack held Annabel, his smile soft and tender as he looked down at his niece. The sight made her heart skip a beat. She already knew he was good with kids. _How much better will he be with his own children?_

3

"Grandma Winnie! Happy Mother's Day!" John and Annabel carefully climbed onto the hospital bed so they could hug her.

She weakly returned their hugs, glad to see them one last time. "Thank you, my dears."

"Hello, Grandpa George." They turned their attention to George, who sat beside his wife's bed. He barely managed a smile for his grandchildren as he helped them perch on his knees.

Kate swallowed hard, remembering when her father passed away and how much her mother had grieved for him. She felt Jane squeeze her free hand and nodded slightly. Shifting her daughter on her hip, she moved forward, drawing their attention. "Barbara says 'Happy Mother's Day, Grandma Winnie,' too."

"Oh, thank you, Barbara," Winifred smiled, gently settling the toddler next to her.

Jane followed Kate to her mother's bed, "Georgie, too, Mother."

"Oh, she's just as beautiful as her mother," Winifred smiled as George helped settle his namesake on her other side. She looked at her daughter with a shaky smile. "Happy Mother's Day, Jane."

Jane's jaw worked for a moment, her voice just as shaky when she finally found it. "Yeah. Happy Mother's Day, Mom."

Michael and Jack arrived then, with a stuffed bear and a bouquet of balloons, wishing Winifred a happy Mother's Day as well. Noticing that Jane had pressed her hand over her mouth, Kate pulled her sister-in-law into a tight hug. They had plenty of mother's days in their future, but they wouldn't be the same without Winifred Banks.

4

"Why are you makin' two cards, Georgie?" Herbert Atwood demanded of seven-year-old Georgiana as they made Mother's Day cards in class. "You can't have two mothers."

Scowling at her classmate, she moved her finished card so it sat between her and Barbara. "Actually, you can, but this one's for my Aunt Kate. Not that it's your business, Herbie."

"Miss Pryce!" Herbert waved his hand around in the air, scowling at the nickname. "Georgie's makin' two cards!"

The teacher walked over and peered down at Herbert over the tops of her glasses. "Why is that a problem, Herbert?"

"We can't have _two_ mothers, Miss Pryce," he explained in a lofty tone that Georgie's mother would have recognized had she been there.

Miss Pryce gave him a sharp look. "Sometimes we do, Herbert, and sometimes we have two fathers. It's not your place to judge."

"Yes, Miss Pryce." He shrank into seat and focused on his own card.

The teacher turned to Georgie. "I hope he hasn't discouraged you, Georgie."

"No, Miss Pryce." Georgie shook her head, glancing at her cousin. "I've always made a card for my aunt."

Nodding, Miss Pryce straightened up and walked away. Barbara muttered to Georgie, "Why do people have to keep sticking their noses into our business?"

"Because they don't know any better." Georgie replied, putting the finishing touches on her aunt's card. She showed it to Barbara. "How's that?"

Barbara rolled her eyes. "Mom likes anything we make for her. Just like Auntie Jane."

"I know." Georgie smiled, thinking of their mothers with fondness.

5

"Mu-um!" Five-year-old Fred called, preceding his sister and father into the townhouse they shared next door to Michael, Kate, and their three children.

Jane appeared from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a kitchen towel. "Hello, Fred, Georgie. How was school?"

"We made Mother's Day cards," Georgie explained as Fred hugged his mother tight.

Jack had closed the door behind him and greeted Jane with a hug and a soft kiss as his son complained to Jane about people asking why he made two cards, like he and Georgie always did. "They ask _every_ year, Mum. Why?"

"Because they don't know how to mind their business, Fred," Georgie replied before Jane or Jack could think of a reply. "Herbie Atwood didn't understand why I made two Mother's Day cards."

At the name, Jack frowned and glanced at Jane. This was the first he'd heard of this kid. "Herbie Atwood, Georgie?"

"Yeah, his name's really Herbert, but I call him Herbie because he hates it." Georgie grinned.

Managing a weak giggle, Jane gently freed herself so she could crouch and meet her son's eyes. "Fred, you'll either have to stop making two cards or just ignore the people who ask."

He nodded, his face taking on a stubborn expression. "Yes, Mum."

"Let's go put our things away, Fred," Georgie suggested after catching a glance from their father.

Nodding again, Fred let Georgie lead him upstairs. Alone with Jane, Jack drew her into a tight hug. "We can't know that he's related to the WD, Jane."

"The name is too similar to be a coincidence," she mumbled, gripping two handfuls of Jack's shirt tightly.

He kissed the top of her head. "The restraining order is just against the WD."

"I know." She gave a shuddering sigh and looked up at him with a smile. "Thanks, Jack."

Smiling back, he kissed her softly. The next moment, they were interrupted by Georgie and Fred making gagging sounds upon returning downstairs. Giggling, Jane pulled away and turned to their children.

\+ 1

Bert whistled as he carefully cleaned his tools and checked that they were all still in working order. He did it every Sunday and, these days, had an eager assistant. Jack had been unusually quiet as he cleaned whatever tools Bert handed to him. Most weeks, his adopted son eagerly chattered away about whatever mischief he'd gotten into with his friends. Not this week. Finally, Bert set down his cleaning cloth and looked sternly at Jack. "All right, out with it."

"What?" Jack startled and looked up at Bert.

Giving him a stern, but friendly look, Bert told him, "You've been awfully quiet all day, my boy. Is something wrong?"

"N-no. Um." After a moment of hesitation, Jack set down the polishing cloth he'd been using and got up, disappearing into his room. He returned a moment later and shyly held out a piece of paper, carefully folded in half.

Frowning, Bert accepted the paper and looked down at it. Tears stung his eyes when he read 'Happy Father's Day' carefully printed at the top of the paper. Drawn below it was a passable drawing of a motorcycle. Opening the card, a message was just as carefully written, with a picture of the two of them holding hands below it. He looked up at Jack with a teary smile. "I'd love nothing better than for you to call me 'Dad', Jack."

"Happy Father's Day, Dad," Jack told him, beaming.

Smiling, Bert pulled Jack into a tight hug. A moment later, the small arms tightened around him in a return hug. "Thanks, Son."

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, Georgie is a girl and very much her mother's daughter. She's named Georgiana not only for her grandfather, but also as a reference to Pride and Prejudice. Fred is a tip of the hat to Winifred.


End file.
